Kids Castle, the iconic eight-story
play structure located in Doylestown Township’s Central Park has reopened to the public, after nearly six months of being closed.Made of wood and built seventeen years
ago, Doylestown Township’s annual safety audit determined Kids Castle had
reached its lifespan and needed immediate attention or would need to close
forever. The Save Kids Castle initiative was formed in response to this audit
and the Friends of Kids Castle, the organization overseeing the initiative,
spearheaded a three-phase plan to restore the castle and expand its use over
the next decade.The newly refurbished castle has been
power washed and stained, and new decks, cargo nets, and roofing have been
installed. Six new entrances have been built, which include rock-climbing
bridges, a fireman’s pole, and a new smaller slide. New flooring has been
placed throughout the castle, and two new large “racing twisty slides,”
sponsored by the Byers Foundation, have been installed. Volunteers have
refurbished original artwork, and local artists and groups have created new
artwork. Finally, the grounds have been regraded and 400-cubic-yards of
specially engineered wood fibers were added to make it as safe as possible.The
Friends of Kids Castle have nearly reached the Phase I fundraising goal of
$150,000. More than 800 individuals, groups, and businesses have contributed
thus far to the project. It continues to be a grassroots effort. Lauren Sheehan, chair for The Friends of Kids Castle, said, “It’s been
amazing to see how the community has come together to support this playground. The local businesses, schools, students, and
volunteers have stepped up in many ways and should be proud of what they’ve
helped accomplish.”Named by the children of Doylestown Township, through an art contest in
1996, the castle was primarily built without the use of taxpayer dollars
through volunteer community effort. Continued support is needed as Phase I is
wrapped up and Phase II begins. Plans call for installation of additional
playground equipment designed for younger children, as well as handicap
accessible pieces to be as inclusive as possible. The bar has been set high, as
it will require an overall fundraising campaign of more than $600,000 to
complete.Jon Biedermann, finance director for the
Friends of Kids Castle, said, “While $600,000 is a very large sum, it’s
necessary to make sure the playground is 100 percent inclusive to children of
all ages and abilities. We’ve decided to set a standard in our community by
making this goal come true. As such, we’ll need to be able to count on the
extreme generosity of our community to make this a reality, so that every
child, regardless of ability, can play together as one.”To find out how you can help Save Kids Castle, and information about
Phases II and III and their opening and closing dates, visit
SaveKidsCastle.org. Photo from SaveKidsCastle,org.